RaiderCruiser

No I didn't know it and never saw it mentioned. Albeit I never asked the specific question, never thought of it. OH well, it's all good.

This was a little disappointing compared to what I had heard others did. I had heard from others they landed near islands on the lake so they could walk around. We landed in the middle of the lake so were able to walk out on the pontoons and take pictures and look around, but that was it. Still an exceptional experience.

We used them last May and had a great time. There were only 4 of us on the plane and the views were spectacular. The pilot was very nice and informative. I guess it is pretty hard to mess up a tour with this type of natural beauty. We did feel like the pilot, as well as, the rest of the staff enjoyed what they wee doing and never felt rushed or herded.

We found the town very interesting as we walked the streets. We did the Lumberjack Show and while it was entertaining, we found it a bit hokey.

I would suggest reading as much as you can and find what seems most interesting to you and your family.

You know your children better than any of us, but an Alaskan cruise, IMHO, is not so much about what there is to do on board but what is going on outside the ship. Unlike many cruises there is an opportunity to see an abundance of beautiful scenery and wildlife right from the deck of the ship. To help them get "motivated" for this you can spend some time preparing prior to the trip. There are several books available that enlighten you on what you can expect to see, where you are most apt to see it and when. Make it an "event" to possibly chart what you expect to see and document it when you do. Make it a game to see who spots what first.

Also, the possible activities at each of the ports will out weigh any boredom on the ship.

Finally, there are certainly teen activities available as well.

My thoughts are don't go into thinking they are going to be bored. Get them involved early and they and you will have a grfeat time.

We went with Coastal Copters in Juneau. We did the glacier dog sledding with an additional landing further out on the glacier. Absolutely spectacular. The additional landing really put this trip over the top for us. I don't know how the price really compared, but it seems all were very similar in price. We did this excursion after whale watching with Harv & Marv.

I would try to be as open minded as you can. Try very hard not to have any preconceived opinions or be too quick to make a decision. Research and read. See what others liked and why. See if that aligns with your likes and dislikes.

Example: N/B vs S/B or R/T. Some will say S/B to get the long flight out of the way. Others will say N/B because the views get more and more spectacular every day. I say I'm on vacation and I'm not doing anything just to "get it out of the way." Others like R/T for the convenience of coming and going from one port.

My thinking is that itinerary has much more to do with this trip than cruise line or ship. I know this is sacrilegious for many, but I have a difficult time telling one ship from another. Find the places you want to go and the things you want to do, then start narrowing down your decisions. It may sound tedious, but the results will be more than worth it.

Remember, every one has an opinion, most are free to share and many think theirs is the only "right" one. Read them all, then decide for yourself.

Thanks for the review. We did this trip in May and it was fun to relive the trip and hear the details of your trip. What a great first cruise.

The standard gratuity is added to your bill. Tip whatever extra you feel the service warranted.

Nice thing, they will track you down with the card when you hit the number. You don't have to go find them!

Take a breath. Relax, breathe, relax....

There is plenty of time, but the key is to slooooow down. There is so much to do and there are so many options you need to follow Budget Queens advise and do some research. You can read on here the things other people like to do, but make sure you read about everything that is available to ensure you do the things you and your family like to do.

We took our first Alaska cruise this Spring and I was so pleased we did as much research as we did. The trip was fantastic, we spent very little time discussing "what do you want to do" and we felt like we got the most bang for our buck.

Slow down and enjoy the whole journey. A journey that doesn't start at Canada Place or Seward, but now as you begin to look at all the options.

Breathe, relax, breathe.

We stayed at Fairmont - Waterfront, directly across the street from Canada Place. Hotel was very nice, a little less expensive than Pan Pacific, but every bit as convenient. The area around it is touristy and easy to walk.

We found a pretty healthy discount for the hotel through Verizon.

We prefer anytime, table for two with the same wait staff. On our last two Carnival cruises we were able to do this every night we ate at the MDR with the longest wait being less than 5 minutes. I'm not sure what others meant by anytime being more hectic and noisy, din't find that to be the case.

"Going one-way to or from a port near Anchorage means more on-shore hassle plus a pricey one-way flight."

I don't understand this. What "On shore hassles"? I thought most folks sail for the ports. Today, nearly all flights are priced a leg at a time. Just wondering.

We took a Taxi to the Fairmont across from Canada Place and it worked perfect for us. Not only was it very convenient, but the driver was probably the most informative "tour guide" we had on the entire trip. Enjoy

Thanks for the responses. We've used this probably 4 times before but, I couldn't recall where to see it. Certainly appreciate the assistance.

Submitted my Stock ownership paperwork to Carnival to receive my OBC, but now I can't remember where it will show up on my cruise details. Any help?

Very nice. It was cloudy the afternoon we were there and never got to see it.

This helps!

IMO forget the specialty restaurants, the wine and the other "special" things you would normally do on a warm weather cruise and use it on the fantastic

excursions available in Alaska.

We were in B227 on the Coral in May. We really enjoyed the cabin for several reasons; Covered balcony, which is nice to protect from any rain, proximity to the forward observation deck(great place to station yourself on glacier days) and proximity to upper decks. Can't speak specifically about the bumped out minis, but we weighed out the cost difference and we were extremely pleased with the regular mini. Also the balcony actually looks smaller in the bumped out corners

Started planning for this trip more than a year in advance. And I will say for us it worked out very, very well.

Day 1 - Vancouver - Fairmont Waterford Hotel.

Toured the city on Vancouver Trolley. All the usually tourist sites in the downtown area; China Town, Dr. SunYat-Sen Garden, Gastown, Steam Clock. (Do be aware the shuttles stop running fairly early, around 6?) Fly Over Canada(very nice). Ate dinner in in Gastown.

Day 2 - Ate breakfast at Red Wagon cafe(as seen on DDD) and it was great. Continued the rest of the morning and mid afternoon on Vancouver Trolley. Spent most of our time at Stanley Park and Granville Island. Boarded the ship around 2:30 and boarded in record time. Never slowed down as we went through all the stations.

Day 3 - Sea Day

Day 4 - Ketchikan 6:30 a - 2:00 p.

7:30 - 9:30 -Misty Fjords Seaplane Exploration with Taquan Air.

9:30 -11:45 - Sightseeing

11:45 - 1:00 - Great American Lumberjack Show

Day 4 - Juneau 8:00 a - 9 p

8:30 - 1:00 Harv & Marv Whale watching

1:00 - lunch

2:15 - 5:45 Coastal Copters - Glacier dog sledding with extra landing

5:45 sightseeing Juneau

Day 5 - Skagway 6:30 a - 8:30 p

7:45 - 4 Dyea Dave's Tour to Emerald Lake

8:00 - 9:45 WPYR train to Fraser.

9:45 - 3:00 Dyea Dave to Emerald Lake to Skagway

Day 6 - Cruising and Glacier Bay

Day 7 - Cruising and College Fjord

Day 8 - Disembark Whittier. Visit Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, Alyeska, planned to have lunch here, but it was still early so we traveled on. Sightseeing on our way to Talkeetna. Lunch/Dinner at Wild Flower Cafe. Shopping.

Day 8 - Depart Anchorage to Houston

Some people may indeed forget to pack a suit, but IMO most just don't find the time nor have the desire to go swimming. There is just so much to see on the outside of the ship. Unlike the Caribbean, where the cruise IS port intensive, Alaskan cruises have scenic views and wildlife the majority of the trip, on shore or on the water.

Don't know about reservations. We didn't need them when we ate our mid-day meal. The deck seating is very nice when the weathers good. They also have indoor seating.

Similarities - You are on a ship. You are on vacation. You are having fun.

Differences - Dining won't have the same priority, seeing things from the ship, as opposed to just water, no hairy chest contests, seems a little more laid back, we saw less drinking/partying. Not to say people weren't having a good time, just more subdued. The weather(even with this years record highs) is totally different.

First, I agree the situation was handled poorly at best.

Secondly, if you don't think ALL businesses are in business to make $$$, then you're missing out on reality. And if you know of a business not in the business for making $$$ please post it here so we will all know not to invest in that company.

Thirdly, I hope you will hold NCL or whoever you are going to cruise with to the same service standards. I understand you believe them to do ATD perfectly and they may, but what if, god forbid, they run out of tools at the pool, what then. Dinners make up approximately 6% of the total time of the cruise. Are you really going to let this ruin the entire trip? That's really a shame if you did.

Finally, I believe you said you filled out a survey form(I maybe wrong here) to voice your concerns. Seems an e-mail, followed by a phone call would be better. Also, have you tried the unconditional satisfaction guarantee? That may be something that could work.